Storage medium, information processing apparatus, information processing system and information processing method

ABSTRACT

One of a plurality of areas is displayed as a display area on a display device, and based on an input from an input section, an object included in the display area is determined as a target to be moved, and when a predetermined movement is detected by a movement sensor, the currently displayed display area is switched to an area different from the currently displayed display area, and the area is displayed on the display device together with the object determined as a target to be moved.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-112650, filed onMay 19, 2011, is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a storage medium, an informationprocessing apparatus, an information processing system and aninformation processing method, and more particularly, to a storagemedium, an information processing apparatus, an information processingsystem and an information processing method for performing displaycontrol of objects.

2. Description of the Background Art

Conventionally, in a situation where objects such as items are managedon a plurality of screens, in order to move an item among the pluralityof screens, a method has been used in which, for example, a selecteditem is moved to an end of a screen and moved to another screen, or anitem is moved to one screen to another by performing a button operation(for example, see Wii (registered trademark) Toriatsukai SetsumeishoKinou-hen (Japanese User's Manual for Functions) page 7 (released onDec. 2, 2006)).

However, according to the above conventional art, after selecting anitem which is a target to be moved, in order to perform an operation tomove the selected item from a screen to another, a plurality of buttonsprovided on a controller or button icons displayed on the screen need tobe operated. That is, in order to move a desired item from a screen toanother, a user is required to perform a plurality of button operations.Consequently, in the conventional art, such operations can be bothersometo the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide astorage medium and the like having stored therein an informationprocessing program, which allows a user to perform an operation toselect an item (object) and move the item to another screen (displayarea) intuitively with improved operability.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has thefollowing features.

The present invention is a computer-readable storage medium havingstored therein an information processing program executed by a computerof an information processing apparatus for controlling an objectdisplayed on a display device based on inputs from a movement sensor fordetecting a movement and an input section. The information processingprogram causes the computer to function as display means, objectdetermination means, and display switching means. The display meansdisplays one of a plurality of areas on the display device as a displayarea. The object determination means determines an object included inthe display area as a target to be moved based on an input from theinput section. The display switching means, when a predeterminedmovement is detected by the movement sensor, switches to an other areadifferent from the display area currently displayed as a new displayarea and displays the other area on the display device together with theobject determined as a target to be moved by the object determinationmeans.

According to the above, by selecting an object which the user intends tomove by operating the input section and performing an operation ofcausing the movement sensor to detect a movement, the user can move theobject to a display area currently not being displayed on the displaydevice. Accordingly, the user can perform an operation of selecting anobject and moving the object to another display area not currentlydisplayed by intuitively with improved operability.

Further, the information processing program may cause the computer tofurther function as object cancelling means for, based on an input fromthe input section, cancelling a determination, made by the objectdetermination means, of the object as being a target to be moved; andobject positioning means for, when the determination is cancelled by theobject cancelling means, positioning the object with respect to whichthe determination is cancelled in the new display area.

According to the above, the object is no longer a target to be movedwhen the display area is switched, and thus the user can promptlyperform an operation of moving another object.

Alternatively, the information processing program may cause the computerto further function as object moving means for, based on an input fromthe input section, moving the object determined as a target to be movedwithin the display area, and the display switching means may, whenswitching the currently displayed display area to the new display areaand displaying the new display area on the display device together withthe object determined as a target to be moved, display the objectdetermined as a target to be moved at a position in the new display areawhich is the same position as a position of the object determined as atarget to be moved in the currently displayed display area.

According to the above, by operating the input section, the user canmove the object determined as a target to be moved freely within thedisplay area. Further, the object determined as a target to be moved isdisplayed at the same position before and after the display area isswitched, and thus the user can be prevented from losing sight of theobject determined as a target to be moved when the display area isswitched.

Alternatively, the object positioning means may, when the determinationis cancelled by the object cancelling means, position the object withrespect to which the determination is cancelled at a position, in thenew display area, associated with a position of the object at a timewhen the object is determined as a target to be moved by the objectdetermination means.

According to the above, the object determined as a target to be moved ispositioned automatically at a position, in the new display area,associated with a position in an area before the switching in which theobject has been positioned. Accordingly, the user does not need toperform a cumbersome operation when moving the object so as to positionthe object in a positioning area.

Alternatively, the object positioning means may, when the determinationis cancelled by the object cancelling means, position the object withrespect to which the determination is cancelled at a position, in thenew display area, associated with a position of the object determined asa target to be moved in the currently displayed display area immediatelybefore switching the currently displayed display area to the new displayarea.

According to the above, the object determined as a target to be moved ispositioned automatically at a position, in a new display area,associated with a position of the object at a time when an operation ofswitching the display area is performed. Accordingly, based on aposition at which an operation of switching the display area isperformed, the user can determine a position at which the objectdetermined as a target to be moved is positioned in the new displayarea.

Alternatively, the object positioning means may, when the determinationis cancelled by the object cancelling means, position the object withrespect to which the determination is cancelled at a position, in thenew display area, associated with a position of the object determined asa target to be moved in the new display area.

According to the above, the user can position the object determined as atarget to be moved at a position associated with the position of theobject determined as a target to be moved in the new display area.Accordingly, typically, when the user moves the object determined as atarget to be moved freely in the new display area, a position at whichthe object determined as a target to be moved exists is determined as an“associated position,” thereby allowing the object determined as atarget to be moved to be positioned at the associated position.

Alternatively, at least one positioning area in which the object can bepositioned may be set in each of the plurality of areas, and the objectpositioning means may, when the determination is cancelled by the objectcancelling means, position the object with respect to which thedetermination is cancelled in a positioning area, in the new displayarea, associated with a positioning area in a display area beforeswitching, in which the object determined as a target to be moved hasbeen positioned.

According to the above, when an object is moved from an area to anotherarea having a different layout of positioning areas, the object ispositioned automatically in a positioning area associated with apositioning area before movement. Accordingly, the user does not need toperform a cumbersome operation of moving an object so as to position theobject in a positioning area.

Alternatively, at least one positioning area in which the object can bepositioned may be set in each of the plurality of areas, and the objectpositioning means may, when the determination is cancelled by the objectcancelling means, position the object with respect to which thedetermination is cancelled in a positioning area, in the new displayarea, associated with a position of the object determined as a target tobe moved in the currently displayed display area immediately beforeswitching the currently displayed display area to the new display area.

According to the above, the object determined as a target to be moved ispositioned automatically in a positioning area, in a new display area,associated with a position of the object determined as a target to bemoved at a time when an operation of switching the display area isperformed. Accordingly, in accordance with a position at which anoperation of switching the display area is performed, the user candetermine a positioning area in which the object determined as a targetto be moved is positioned in a new display area.

Alternatively, at least one positioning area in which the object can bepositioned may be set in each of the plurality of areas, and the objectpositioning means may, when the determination is cancelled by the objectcancelling means, position the object with respect to which thedetermination is cancelled in a positioning area, in the new displayarea, associated with a position of the object determined as a target tobe moved in the new display area.

According to the above, the user can position the object determined as atarget to be moved in a positioning area, in a new display area,associated with a position of the object determined as a target to bemoved. Accordingly, typically, when the user moves an object determinedas a target to be moved freely in a new display area, for example, theuser can determine a positioning area in which the object determined asa target to be moved exists as an “associated positioning area” andposition the object determined as a target to be moved in thepositioning area.

Alternatively, the information processing program may cause the computerto further function as object identification means for identifying atype of the object, and the object positioning means may, when thedetermination is cancelled by the object cancelling means, position theobject with respect to which the determination is cancelled at aposition, in the new display area, associated with the type of theobject with respect to which the determination is cancelled.

According to the above, when the display area is switched, an objectwhich has been moved is positioned automatically at a positionassociated with a type of the object. Accordingly, the user does notneed to perform a cumbersome operation of moving an object so as toposition the object at a position associated with the type of theobject.

Alternatively, the object determination means may fix the object whilethe object is determined as a target to be moved, and the displayswitching means may, when a predetermined movement is detected by themovement sensor, switch to an other area different from a currentlydisplayed display area as a new display area, in a state where theobject determined as a target to be moved is fixed.

According to the above, an object determined as a target to be moved isnot moved when the display area is switched, and thus the user can beprevented from losing sight of the object determined as a target to bemoved.

Alternatively, the information processing apparatus may control theobject based on inputs from a first input device having the movementsensor and the input section.

According to the above, by operating the input section of the firstinput device so as to select an object which the user intends to moveand performing an operation of moving the first input device, the usercan move the object to a display area currently not being displayed. Atthis time, this operation is similar to a human action of grasping astuff and moving the stuff to another position. Accordingly, the usercan select an object and move the object to another display areacurrently not being displayed intuitively with improved operability.

Alternatively, the plurality of areas may be associated with each otherin advance in a predetermined sequence, and the display switching meansmay, when a predetermined movement is detected by the movement sensor,switch to an area associated with the currently displayed display areaas a new display area and displays the area on the display devicetogether with the object determined as a target to be moved.

According to the above, the display area is switched based on apredetermined sequence, and thus the user can switch the display area inaccordance with the predetermined sequence, and thereby perform anoperation of switching the display area with improved operabilityassuming the predetermined sequence.

Alternatively, the display switching means may, when the predeterminedmovement detected by the movement sensor is a movement in a firstdirection, switch to an area which is associated with a currentlydisplayed display area so as to immediately follow the currentlydisplayed display area as a new display area and display the area on thedisplay device together with the object determined as a target to bemoved, and when the predetermined movement detected by the movementsensor is a movement in a second direction, switch to an area which isassociated with the currently displayed display area so as toimmediately precede the currently displayed display area as a newdisplay area and display the area on the display device together withthe object determined as a target to be moved.

According to the above, the user can switch to a new display area anddisplay the new display area, which can be different in accordance witha direction of a moving operation.

Alternatively, the information processing apparatus may control theobject displayed on the display device based on an movement input from asecond input device having an additional movement sensor for detecting amovement, and the display switching means may, when a predeterminedmovement is detected by the movement sensor, switch to an area which isassociated with a currently displayed display area so as to immediatelyfollow the currently displayed display area as a new display area anddisplay the area on the display device together with the objectdetermined as a target to be moved, and when the predetermined movementis detected by the additional movement sensor, switch to an area whichis associated with the currently displayed display area so as toimmediately precede the currently displayed display area as a newdisplay area and display the area on the display device together withthe object determined as a target to be moved.

According to the above, the user can perform an operation of switchingthe display area by holding two input devices with his/her right handand left hand, respectively. Accordingly, when playing a game or thelike in which these two input devices are used, the user can switch thedisplay screen with improved operability by using these two inputdevices.

Alternatively, the input section may include a pointing device, and theobject determination means may determine, based on an input from thepointing device, an object included in the display area as a target tobe moved.

According to the above, the user can determine an object as a target tobe moved by using a pointing device, and thus the user can determine theobject as a target to be moved and switch the display area with improvedoperability.

Alternatively, the movement sensor may detect at least one of anacceleration and an angular velocity, and the display switching meansmay, when an acceleration or an angular velocity which is greater thanor equal to a predetermined value is detected by the movement sensor,switch to an other area different from a currently displayed displayarea as a display area and displays the other area on the display devicetogether with the object determined as a target to be moved by theobject determination means.

According to the above, a switching operation can be performed bydetecting a movement using an acceleration or an angular velocity.

In the above description, the present invention is configured as astorage medium having stored therein an information processing program.However, the present invention may be configured as an informationprocessing apparatus, an information processing system, or aninformation processing method.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a storagemedium and the like having stored therein an information processingprogram, and the like for allowing the user to perform an operation ofselecting an item (object) and moving the item to another screen(display area) intuitively with improved operability.

These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the present invention when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an outer appearance illustrating a game system 1 according toone embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a game apparatus body 5 shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a unit-equipped controller 6 as viewedfrom a top rear side thereof shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a controller 7 as viewed from a bottomfront side thereof shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the controller 7 shown in FIG. 3 in astate where an upper housing thereof is removed;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the controller 7 shown in FIG. 4 in astate where a lower housing thereof is removed;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the unit-equippedcontroller 6 shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 illustrates an operation of moving a pointer 101 displayed on ascreen 100 of a monitor 2 by using the unit-equipped controller 6;

FIG. 9 illustrates respective areas within a virtual space displayed onthe screen 100;

FIG. 10 illustrates an action (operation) of moving a clothes item 300 awhich is a normal item positioned in the normal type positioning area200 a in a display area A to another display area;

FIG. 11 illustrates an action (operation) of moving the clothes item 300a which is a normal item positioned in the normal type positioning area200 a in the display area A to another display area;

FIG. 12 illustrates an action (operation) of moving the clothes item 300a which is a normal item positioned in the normal type positioning area200 a in the display area A to another display area;

FIG. 13A illustrates an action (operation) of moving the clothes item300 a which is a normal item positioned in the normal type positioningarea 200 a in the display area A to another display area;

FIG. 13B illustrates an action (operation) of moving the clothes item300 a which is a normal item positioned in the normal type positioningarea 200 a in the display area A to another display area;

FIG. 14A illustrates an action (operation) of moving the clothes item300 a which is a normal item positioned in the normal type positioningarea 200 a in the display area A to another display area;

FIG. 14B illustrates an action (operation) of moving the clothes item300 a which is a normal item positioned in the normal type positioningarea 200 a in the display area A to another display area;

FIG. 15 illustrates an action (operation) of moving the clothes item 300a which is a normal item positioned in the normal type positioning area200 a in the display area A to another display area;

FIG. 16A illustrates an action (operation) of moving the clothes item300 a which is a normal item positioned in the normal type positioningarea 200 a in the display area A to another display area;

FIG. 16B illustrates an action (operation) of moving the clothes item300 a which is a normal item positioned in the normal type positioningarea 200 a in the display area A to another display area;

FIG. 17A illustrates an action (operation) of moving the clothes item300 a which is a normal item positioned in the normal type positioningarea 200 a in the display area A to another display area;

FIG. 17B illustrates an action (operation) of moving the clothes item300 a which is a normal item positioned in the normal type positioningarea 200 a in the display area A to another display area;

FIG. 18A illustrates an example of a mode in which the currentlydisplayed display area on the screen 100 is switched from the displayarea A to a display area B;

FIG. 18B illustrates an example of a mode in which the currentlydisplayed display area on the screen 100 is switched from the displayarea A to the display area B;

FIG. 19A shows the screen 100 on which the display area A has beenswitched to the display area B as shown in FIG. 18A and FIG. 18B;

FIG. 19B shows the screen 100 on which the display area A has beenswitched to the display area B as shown in FIG. 18A and FIG. 18B;

FIG. 20A illustrates an example of a mode in which the currentlydisplayed display area on the screen 100 is switched from the displayarea A to the display area B;

FIG. 20B illustrates an example of a mode in which the currentlydisplayed display area on the screen 100 is switched from the displayarea A to the display area B;

FIG. 21A shows the screen 100 on which the display area A has beenswitched to the display area B as shown in FIG. 20A and FIG. 20B;

FIG. 21B shows the screen 100 on which the display area A has beenswitched to the display area B as shown in FIG. 20A and FIG. 20B;

FIG. 22 illustrates main data used in game processing of the presentembodiment;

FIG. 23 is a flow chart illustrating processing performed by a CPU 10according to the present embodiment;

FIG. 24 is a flow chart illustrating processing performed by the CPU 10according to the present embodiment;

FIG. 25 illustrates a modification of the present embodiment;

FIG. 26 illustrates another modification of the present embodiment;

FIG. 27 is a flow chart illustrating a modification of the presentembodiment;

FIG. 28 is a flow chart illustrating another modification of the presentembodiment;

FIG. 29 is a flow chart illustrating another modification of the presentembodiment;

FIG. 30 is a flow chart illustrating another modification of the presentembodiment; and

FIG. 31 is a flow chart illustrating another modification of the presentembodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIG. 1, a game apparatus for executing a game programaccording to one embodiment of the present invention will be described.Hereinafter, for the same of specific explanation, a game systemincluding a stationary game apparatus body 5 will be described as anexample. FIG. 1 is an outer appearance of a game system 1 including astationary game apparatus 3. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the gameapparatus body 5. Hereinafter, the game system 1 will be described.

[Overall Structure of Game System]

As shown in FIG. 1, the game system 1 includes a home televisionreceiver (hereinafter referred to as a monitor) 2, which is exemplarydisplay means, and a stationary game apparatus 3 which is connected tothe monitor 2 via a connection cord. The monitor 2 includes speakers 2 afor outputting sound based on an audio signal outputted from the gameapparatus 3. Further, the game apparatus 3 includes an optical disc 4having stored thereon a game program, which is an exemplary game programof the present invention, the game apparatus body 5 including a computerfor executing the game program stored on the optical disc 4 so as tooutput and display a game screen on the monitor 2, and a unit-equippedcontroller 6 for providing the game apparatus body 5 with operationalinformation necessary for a game in which an object or the likedisplayed on the game screen is operated.

The game apparatus body 5 incorporates therein a wireless controllermodule 19 (see FIG. 2). The wireless controller module 19 receives datawirelessly transmitted from the unit-equipped controller 6, and alsotransmits data from the game apparatus body 5 to the unit-equippedcontroller 6 (controller 7), thereby connecting the unit-equippedcontroller 6 and the game apparatus body 5 via wireless communication.Further, the optical disc 4, which is an exemplary information storagemedium exchangeably used to the game apparatus body 5, is detachablyinserted into the game apparatus body 5.

The game apparatus body 5 also incorporates therein a flash memory 17(see FIG. 2) which functions as a backup memory for fixedly storing datasuch as save data. When a game program or the like stored on the opticaldisc 4 is executed, the game apparatus body 5 displays a result of theexecution as a game image on the monitor 2. Further, the game program orthe like need not be necessarily stored on the optical disc 4, but maybe stored in advance in the flash memory 17 and executed. Still further,the game apparatus body 5 uses save data stored in the flash memory 17so as to reproduce a state of a game played in the past, therebydisplaying an image of the game on the monitor 2. A player playing withthe game apparatus 3 can enjoy the game by operating the unit-equippedcontroller 6 while watching the image of the game displayed on themonitor 2.

The unit-equipped controller 6 provides the game apparatus body 5 withoperation data indicative of details of an operation performed withrespect to the unit-equipped controller 6. In the present embodiment,the unit-equipped controller 6 includes the controller 7 and angularvelocity detection unit 9. Although details will be described later, theunit-equipped controller 6 is configured such that the angular velocitydetection unit 9 is detachably connected to the controller 7.

The controller 7 uses a technology of Bluetooth (registered trademark),for example, and wirelessly transmits transmission data such asoperation information to the game apparatus body 5 incorporating thereinthe wireless controller module 19. The controller 7 has a housing whichis small enough to be held by one hand, and a plurality of operationbuttons (including a cross key, a stick, and the like) exposed at asurface of the housing. As described later in detail, the controller 7includes an imaging information calculation section 74 for taking animage as viewed from the controller 7. As exemplary imaging targets ofthe imaging information calculation section 74, two LED modules 8L and8R (hereinafter referred to as markers 8L and 8R) are provided in thevicinity of the display screen of the monitor 2. The markers 8L and 8R,for example, output infrared light forward from the monitor 2,respectively. Further, in the controller 7, the communication section 75receives transmission data wirelessly transmitted from the wirelesscontroller module 19 of the game apparatus body 5, whereby sound orvibration based on the transmission data is generated.

[Internal Configuration of Game Apparatus Body 5]

Next, with reference to FIG. 2, an internal configuration of the gameapparatus body 5 will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing aconfiguration of the game apparatus body 5. The game apparatus body 5has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10, a system LSI (Large ScaleIntegration) 11, an external main memory 12, an ROM/RTC (Read OnlyMemory/Real Time Clock) 13, a disc drive 14, an AV-IC (AudioVideo-Integrated Circuit) 15, and the like.

The CPU 10 performs a game process by executing a game program stored onthe optical disc 4, and acts as a game processor. The CPU 10 isconnected to the system LSI 11. In addition to the CPU 10, the externalmain memory 12, the ROM/RTC 13, the disc drive 14, and the AV-IC 15 areconnected to the system LSI 11. The system LSI 11 performs processessuch as control of data transmission among component parts connected tothe system LSI 11, generation of an image to be displayed, andacquisition of data from external devices. An internal configuration ofthe system LSI 11 will be described later. The external main memory 12,which is a volatile memory, stores therein such a program as a gameprogram loaded from the optical disc 4 or a game program loaded from theflash memory 17, and various data. The external main memory 12 is usedas a work area or a buffer area of the CPU 10. The ROM/RTC 13 has a ROM(so called a boot ROM) incorporating a program for booting up the gameapparatus body 5, and a clock circuit (RTC) for counting time. The discdrive 14 reads program data, texture data, and the like from the opticaldisc 4, and writes the read data into an internal main memory 35 to bedescribed later or the external main memory 12.

Further, provided to the system LSI 11 are an input/output processor 31,a GPU (Graphics Processor Unit) 32, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) 33,a VRAM (Video RAM) 34, and the internal main memory 35. Although notshown in drawings, these component parts 31 to 35 are connected to oneanother via an internal bus.

The GPU 32 functions as a part of drawing means, and generates an imagein accordance with a graphics command (draw command) from the CPU 10.The VRAM 34 stores therein data (such as polygon data and texture data)necessary for the GPU 32 to execute the graphics command. When an imageis to be generated, the GPU 32 uses data stored in the VRAM 34 andgenerates image data.

The DSP 33 functions as an audio processor, and generates audio data byusing sound data and sound waveform (tone quality) data stored in theinternal main memory 35 or the external main memory 12.

The image data and the audio data generated as described above are readby the AV-IC 15. The AV-IC 15 outputs the read image data to the monitor2 via the AV connector 16, and also outputs the read audio data to thespeakers 2 a provided on the monitor 2. Accordingly, the image isdisplayed on the monitor 2, and the sound is outputted from the speakers2 a.

The input/output (I/O) processor 31 executes transmission of databetween component parts connected to the I/O processor 31, and alsoexecutes downloading of data from external devices. The I/O processor 31is connected to the flash memory 17, the wireless communication module18, the wireless controller module 19, an expansion connector 20, and anexternal memory card connector 21. An antenna 22 is connected to thewireless communication module 18, and antenna 23 is connected to thewireless controller module 19.

The I/O processor 31 is connected to a network via the wirelesscommunication module 18 and the antenna 22, and is capable ofcommunicating with another game apparatus and various servers connectedto the network. The I/O processor 31 accesses the flash memory 17 on aregular basis so as to detect data, if any, which is necessary to betransmitted to the network. If the data is detected, the detected datais transmitted to the network via the wireless communication module 18and the antenna 22. The I/O processor 31 receives data transmitted fromanother game apparatus and data downloaded from a download server, viathe network, the antenna 22, and the wireless communication module 18,and stores the received data in the flash memory 17. The CPU 10 executesthe game program, and reads the data stored in the flash memory 17 to beused while executing the game program. In the flash memory 17, not onlydata transmitted between the game apparatus body 5 and another gameapparatus or various servers, but also save data (result data orprogress data) of a game played by using the game apparatus body 5 maybe stored.

The I/O processor 31 also receives operation data and the like, which istransmitted from the controller 7 (unit-equipped controller 6) via theantenna 23 and the wireless controller module 19, and (temporarily)stores the operation data in the internal main memory 35 or in thebuffer area of the external main memory 12. As with the external mainmemory 12, the internal main memory 35 may be used for storing the gameprograms read from the optical disc 4 or from the flash memory 17, andvarious data, and may be used as the work area or the buffer area of theCPU 10.

The expansion connector 20 and the external memory card connector 21 areconnected to the I/O processor 31. The expansion connector 20 is aninterface connector as typified by a USB and an SCSI, and is capable ofperforming communication with the network, instead of the wirelesscommunication module 18, by connecting thereto a medium such as anexternal storage medium, a peripheral device such as another controller,or a wired communication connector. The external memory card connector21 is a connector for connecting thereto the external storage mediumsuch as a memory card. For example, the I/O processor 31 accesses theexternal storage medium via the expansion connector 20 or the externalmemory card connector 21, and then saves data or reads data.

Provided to (for example, on the front main surface of) the gameapparatus body 5 are a power button 24 for the game apparatus body 5, areset button 25 for a game process, an insertion slot in which theoptical disc 4 is inserted, an eject button 26 for causing the opticaldisc 4 to be ejected from the insertion slot of the game apparatus body5, and the like. The power button 24 and the reset button 25 areconnected to the system LSI 11. When the power button 24 is turned on,power is supplied to each of the component parts of the game apparatusbody 5 via an AC adaptor, which is not shown. When the reset button 25is pressed, the system LSI 11 reboots the boot-up program of the gameapparatus body 5. The eject button 26 is connected to the disc drive 14.When the eject button 26 is pressed, the optical disc 4 is ejected fromthe disc drive 14.

[Configuration of Unit-Equipped Controller 6]

Next, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the unit-equipped controller 6will be described. FIG. 3 is an exemplary perspective view of theunit-equipped controller 6 as viewed from a top rear side thereof. FIG.4 is an exemplary perspective view of the controller 7 as viewed from abottom front side thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the controller 7 includes a housing 71 whichis formed by plastic molding, for example, and a plurality of operationsections 72 are provided on the housing 71. The housing 71 has asubstantially parallelepiped shape extending in a longitudinal directionfrom front to rear, and an overall size thereof is small enough to beheld by one hand of an adult or even of a child.

At a front center portion of a top surface of the housing 71, a crosskey 72 a is provided. The cross key 72 a is a cross-shaped fourdirection push switch, and operation portions thereof are respectivelylocated on cross-shaped projecting portions arranged at intervals of 90degrees such that the operation portions correspond to four directions(front, rear, right, and left). A player selects one of the front, rear,right, and left directions by pressing one of the operation portions ofthe cross key 72 a. Through an operation of the cross key 72 a, theplayer can indicate a direction in which a player character or the likeappearing in a virtual game world is to move, or select an instructionfrom a plurality of choices.

The cross key 72 a is an operation section for outputting an operationsignal in accordance with the direction input operation performed by theplayer as described above, and the operation section may be provide inanother form. For example, the operation section may be provided suchthat four push switches are arranged in the cross directions and anoperation signal is outputted by the player's pressing one of the fourpush switches. Further, in addition to the four push switches, a centerswitch may be provided at a crossing portion of the above-describedcross directions so as to provide an operation section composed of thefour push switches and a center switch. Alternatively, the cross key 72a may be replaced with an operation section which includes an inclinablestick (so called a joystick) projecting from the top surface of thehousing 71 and which outputs the operation signal in accordance with aninclining direction of the stick. Still alternatively, the cross key 72a may be replaced with an operation section which includes a disc-shapedmember horizontally slidable and outputs an operation signal inaccordance with an sliding direction of the disc-shaped member. Stillalternatively, the cross key 72 a may be replaced with a touchpad.

Behind the cross key 72 a on the top surface of the housing 71, aplurality of operation buttons 72 b to 72 g are provided. The operationbuttons 72 b to 72 g are each an operation section for outputting anoperation signal assigned thereto when the player presses a headthereof. For example, functions such as a No. 1 button, a No. 2 button,and an A button and the like are assigned to the operation buttons 72 bto 72 d. Further, functions such as a minus button, a home button, aplus button and the like are assigned to the operation buttons 72 e to72 g. Various operation functions are assigned to these operationbuttons 72 a to 72 g in accordance with the game program executed by thegame apparatus body 5. In an exemplary arrangement shown in FIG. 3, theoperation buttons 72 b to 72 d are arranged in a line at the center in afront-rear direction on the top surface of the housing 71. Further, theoperation buttons 72 e to 72 g are arranged in a line on the top surfaceof the housing 71 in a left-right direction between the operationbuttons 72 b and 72 d. The operation button 72 f has a top surfacethereof buried in the top surface of the housing 71 to reduce thepossibility of inadvertent pressing by the player.

In front of the cross key 72 a on the top surface of the housing 71, anoperation button 72 h is provided. The operation button 72 h is a powerswitch for turning on and off the power to the game apparatus body 5 byremote control. The operation button 72 h also has a top surface thereofburied in the top surface of the housing 71 to reduce the possibility ofinadvertent pressing by the player.

Behind the operation button 72 c on the top surface of the housing 71, aplurality of LEDs 702 is provided. A controller type (number) isassigned to the controller 7 so as to be distinguishable from anothercontroller 7. For example, the LEDs 702 may be used to provide a playera visual indication of the controller type assigned to the controller 7.Specifically, a signal is transmitted, from the wireless controllermodule 19 to the controller 7, so as to light a LED corresponding to theabove-described controller type among the plurality of LEDs 702.

On the top surface of the housing 71, speaker holes for emitting soundfrom a speaker (a speaker 706 shown in FIG. 5), which is to be describedlater, are formed between the operation button 72 b and the operationbuttons 72 e to 72 g.

On a bottom surface of the housing 71, a recessed portion is formed. Therecessed portion on the bottom surface of the housing 71 is formed in aposition in which an index finger or middle finger of the player islocated when the player holds the controller with one hand and points afront portion thereof to the markers 8L and 8R. On a slope surface ofthe recessed portion, an operation button 72 i is provided. Theoperation button 72 i is an operation section acting as, for example, aB button.

On a front surface of the housing 71, an image pickup element 743constituting a part of an imaging information calculation section 74 isprovided. The imaging information calculation section 74 is a systemwhich analyzes image data picked up by the controller 7, identifies ahigh brightness area in the image, and detects the center of gravity anda size or the like of the area. For example, the imaging informationcalculation section 74 has a maximum sampling period of about 200frames/sec., and thus can trace and analyze even a relatively fastmotion of the controller 7. A configuration of the imaging informationcalculation section 74 will be described later in detail. On a rearsurface of the housing 71, a connector 73 is provided. The connector 73is, for example, an edge connector, and is used for coupling andconnecting the controller with a connection cable. In the case of theexemplary unit-controller 6 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the angularvelocity detection unit 9 is detachably connected to the rear surface ofthe controller 7 via the connector 73.

For the sake of detail explanation, a coordinate system set for theunit-equipped controller 6 (controller 7) will be defined. As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis which are perpendicularto one another are defined with respect to the unit-equipped controller6 (controller 7). Specifically, a longer direction, which is thefront-rear direction, of the housing 71 is defined as the Z-axis, and adirection toward the front surface (a surface on which the imaginginformation calculation section 74 is provided) of the controller 7 isdefined as a Z-axis positive direction. An up-down direction of thecontroller 7 is defined as the Y-axis, and a direction toward the topsurface (a surface on which the operation button 72 a is provided) ofthe housing 71 is defined as a Y-axis positive direction. Further, theleft-right direction of the controller 7 is defined as the X-axisdirection, and a direction toward the right side surface (a side surfaceshown in FIG. 3) of the housing 71 is defined as an X-axis positivedirection.

The angular velocity detection unit 9 includes gyro sensors (a two-axisgyro sensor 95 and a one-axis gyro sensor 96 shown in FIG. 7) fordetecting angular velocities around three axes. At a front edge of theangular velocity detection unit 9 (an edge on the Z-axis positivedirection side shown in FIG. 3), a plug (plug 93 shown in FIG. 7)connectable to the connector 73 is provided. Further hooks (not shown)are provided on both sides of the plug 93, respectively. When theangular velocity detection unit 9 is mounted to the controller 7, theplug 93 is connected to the connector 73, and the hooks engage inlocking holes 73 a of the controller 7. Accordingly, the controller 7and the angular velocity detection unit 9 are firmly fixed to eachother. Further, the angular velocity detection unit 9 has a button 91 oneach side surface (surfaces facing toward the X-axis direction shown inFIG. 3). The buttons 91 are configured such that when the buttons 91 arepressed, the hooks are disengaged from the locking holes 73 a.Therefore, when the plug 93 is removed from the connector 73 while thebuttons 91 are being pressed, the angular velocity detection unit 9 canbe disconnected from the controller 7. Accordingly, the player canoperate the controller 7 having the angular velocity detection unit 9mounted thereto, or operate the controller 7 only by removing theangular velocity detection unit 9 therefrom.

Provided at a rear edge of the angular velocity detection unit 9 is aconnector having the same shape as the connector 73. Thus, an apparatusmountable to (the connector 73 of) the controller 7 is also mountable tothe rear edge connector of the angular velocity detection unit 9. InFIG. 3, a cover 92 is detachably mounted to the rear edge connector.

[Internal Configuration of Controller 7]

Next, with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, an internal structure of thecontroller 7 will be described. FIG. 5 is a perspective viewillustrating the controller 7, as viewed from the top rear surfacethereof, in a state where an upper casing (a part of the housing 71)thereof is removed. FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating thecontroller 7, as viewed from the front side thereof, in a state where alower casing (a part of the housing 71) thereof is removed. FIG. 6 showsa perspective view illustrating a reverse side of a substrate 700 shownin FIG. 5.

As shown in FIG. 5, the substrate 700 is fixed inside the housing 71. Ona top main surface of the substrate 700, the operation buttons 72 a to72 h, an acceleration sensor 701, the LEDs 702, antenna 754, and thelike are provided. These elements are connected to a microcomputer 751(see FIGS. 6 and 7) and the like via lines (not shown) formed on thesubstrate 700 and the like. The wireless module 753 (see FIG. 7) and theantenna 754 allow the controller 7 to act as a wireless controller. Aquartz oscillator (not shown) is provided inside the housing 71, andgenerates a reference clock of the microcomputer 751 to be describedlater. On a top main surface of the substrate 700, the speaker 706 andan amplifier 708 are provided. Further, the acceleration sensor 701 isprovided on the substrate 700 to the left of the operation button 72 d(that is, not at the center portion of the substrate 700 but near theperiphery of the substrate 700). Accordingly, in addition to adirectional change of gravity acceleration, the acceleration sensor 701is capable of detecting acceleration including an acceleration componentexerted by a centrifugal force in accordance with the controller 7rotating about the longer direction thereof. Therefore, the gameapparatus body 5 or the like is capable of determining, through apredetermined calculation, a motion of the controller 7 sufficientlyaccurately in accordance with the detected acceleration data.

As shown in FIG. 6, at a front edge of a bottom main surface of thesubstrate 700, the imaging information calculation section 74 isprovided. The imaging information calculation section 74 includes aninfrared filer 741, a lens 742, the image pickup element 743, and animage processing circuit 744, located in this order from the frontsurface of the controller 7 on the bottom surface of the substrate 700.To a rear edge of the bottom main surface of the substrate 700, theconnector 73 is attached. Further, on the bottom main surface of thesubstrate 700, a sound IC 707 and the microcomputer 751 are provided.The sound IC 707, which is connected to the microcomputer 751 and theamplifier 708 via the line formed on the substrate 700 and the like,outputs an audio signal to the speaker 706 via the amplifier 708 inaccordance with the sound data transmitted from the game apparatus body5.

On the bottom main surface of the substrate 700, a vibrator 704 isattached. The vibrator 704 may be, for example, a vibration motor or asolenoid. The vibrator 704 is connected to the microcomputer 751 via theline formed on the substrate 700 and the like, and is powered on/off inaccordance with vibration data transmitted from the game apparatus body5. The controller 7 is vibrated by an actuation of the vibrator 704, andthe vibration is conveyed to the player's hand holding the controller 7.Thus, a so-called vibration-responsive game may be realized. Thevibrator 704 is provided near the front part of the housing 71, andtherefore, a large vibration of the housing 71 allows the player holdingthe controller 7 to easily feel the vibration.

[Internal Configuration of Unit-Equipped Controller 6]

Next, with reference to FIG. 7, an internal configuration of theunit-equipped controller 6 (controller 7 having the angular velocitydetection unit 9) will be described. FIG. 7 is a block diagramillustrating an exemplary configuration of the unit-equipped controller6.

As shown in FIG. 7, the controller 7 includes the communication section75, in addition to the operation section 72, the imaging informationcalculation section 74, the acceleration sensor 701, the vibrator 704,the speaker 706, the sound IC 707, and the amplifier 708 as describedabove.

The imaging information calculation section 74 includes the infraredfiler 741, the lens 742, the image pickup element 743, and the imageprocessing circuit 744. The infrared filer 741 allows only infraredlight to pass therethrough, among light incident on the front surface ofthe controller 7. The lens 742 converges the infrared light havingpassed through the infrared filer 741 and outputs the infrared light tothe image pickup element 743. The image pickup element 743 is asolid-state image pickup element such as a CMOS sensor or a CCD. Theimage pickup element 743 takes an image of the infrared light convergedby the lens 742. Therefore, the image pickup element 743 takes an imageof only the infrared light having passed through the infrared filer 741,and generates image data. The image data generated by the image pickupelement 743 is processed by the image processing circuit 744.Specifically, the image processing circuit 744 processes the image dataobtained from image pickup element 743, detects a high brightness area,and outputs process result data to the communication section 75, theprocess result data being indicative of a coordinate point and a size ofthe detected area. The imaging information calculation section 74 isfixed to the housing 71 of the controller 7, and thus an imagingdirection thereof can be changed by changing the direction of thehousing 71.

The controller 7 preferably includes a three-axis (X-axis, Y-axis,Z-axis) the acceleration sensor 701. The three-axis the accelerationsensor 701 detects a linear acceleration in three directions, i.e., theup-down direction (Y-axis shown in FIG. 3), the left-right direction(X-axis shown in FIG. 3), and the front-rear direction (Z-axis shown inFIG. 3). Further, an accelerometer capable of detecting linearacceleration in at least one axis direction (e.g., X-axis and Y-axis)may be used, alternatively. For example, the acceleration sensor 701 asdescribed above may be of the type available from Analog Devices, Inc.or STMicroelectronics N.V. Preferably, the acceleration sensor 701 is anelectrostatic capacitance (capacitance-coupling) type that is based onsilicon micro-machined MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems)technology. However, any other suitable technology of accelerometer (forexample, piezoelectric type or piezoresistance type) now existing or tobe developed later may be used to provide the acceleration sensor 701.

An accelerometer used in the acceleration sensor 701 is capable ofdetecting acceleration (linear acceleration) only along a straight linecorresponding to each axis of the acceleration sensor 701. In otherwords, directly output from the acceleration sensor 701 is a signalindicative of the linear acceleration (static or dynamic) along each ofthe three axes. As a result, the acceleration sensor 701 cannot directlydetect movement along non-linear (e.g., arcute) path, rotation,rotational movement, angular displacement, tilt, position, orientation,or any other physical characteristic.

However, when a computer, such as a processor (e.g., the CPU 10) of thegame apparatus or a processor (e.g., the microcomputer 751) of thecontroller, processes acceleration signal outputted from theacceleration sensor 701, additional information relating to thecontroller 7 can be inferred or calculated (determined), as one skilledin the art will readily understand from the description herein.

For example, suppose a case where the computer processes theacceleration signal outputted from the acceleration sensor 701 of thecontroller 7 in a static state (that is, a case where it is anticipatedthat acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 701 includesgravity acceleration only). In the case where the controller 7 isactually in a static state, it is possible to determine whether or notthe controller 7 tilts relative to the direction of gravity and also todetermine a degree of the tilt, based on the detected acceleration.Specifically, when a detected axis of the acceleration sensor 701 isdirected to a vertically-downward direction, and such a situation is setas a reference, then it is possible to determine whether or not thecontroller 7 tilts relative to the vertically-downward direction, basedon only whether or not 1G (gravity acceleration) is applied in thedetected axis direction. Further, based on the magnitude of theacceleration applied in the detected axis direction, it is possible todetermine a degree of the tilt of the controller 7 relative to thevertically-downward direction. Further, in the case of the accelerationsensor 701 which is capable of detecting the acceleration in multi-axisdirections, an acceleration signal detected along each of the axes isprocessed, whereby it is possible to determine the tilt of thecontroller 7 relative to the direction of gravity. In this case, inaccordance with an output from the acceleration sensor 701, dataindicative of a tilt angle of the controller 7 may be calculated by theprocessor. Alternatively, without calculating the data indicative of thetilt angle, an approximate degree of the tilt of the controller 7 may beinferred based on the output from the acceleration sensor 701. In thismanner, it is possible to determine the tilt, the orientation, or theposition of the controller 7 by using the acceleration sensor 701 andthe processor in a combined manner.

On the other hand, in the case where the acceleration sensor 701 is in adynamic state, the acceleration sensor 701 detects acceleration based ona movement of the acceleration sensor 701 in addition to the gravityacceleration component. Therefore, when the gravity accelerationcomponent is eliminated through a predetermined process, it is possibleto determine, for example, a direction in which the controller 7 moves.Specifically, when the controller 7 including the acceleration sensor701 is dynamically accelerated and moved by a hand of a player, it ispossible to calculate various motions and/or positions of the controller7 by processing the acceleration signals generated by the accelerationsensor 701. Even in the case where the acceleration sensor 701 is in adynamic state, it is possible to determine the tilt of the controller 7relative to the direction of gravity provided that the accelerationbased on the movement of the acceleration sensor 701 is eliminatedthrough the predetermined process.

In another embodiment, the acceleration sensor 701 may include anembedded signal processor or another type of dedicated processor forperforming any desired process on the acceleration signal which isoutputted from an embedded accelerometer before the signal is outputtedto the microcomputer 751. For example, when the acceleration sensor 701is designed to detect static acceleration (for example, the gravityacceleration), the embedded signal processor or the dedicated processormay convert the detected acceleration signal into a corresponding tiltangle (or another preferable parameter). Data indicative of theacceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 701 is outputted to thecommunication section 75.

The communication section 75 includes the microcomputer 751, a memory752, the wireless module 753, and the antenna 754. At the time ofprocessing, the microcomputer 751 controls the wireless module 753 forwirelessly transmitting transmission data while using the memory 752 asa storage area. Further, the microcomputer 751 controls operations ofthe sound IC 707 and the vibrator 704 in accordance with the datareceived by the wireless module 753 from the game apparatus body 5 viathe antenna 754. The sound IC 707 processes the sound data and the liketransmitted from the game apparatus body 5 via the communication section75. Further, the microcomputer 751 actuates the vibrator 704 inaccordance with vibration data (e.g., a signal for turning the vibrator704 “ON” or “OFF”) transmitted from the game apparatus body 5 via thecommunication section 75. Further, the microcomputer 751 is connected tothe connector 73. Data transmitted from the angular velocity detectionunit 9 is inputted to the microcomputer 751 via the connector 73.Hereinafter, a configuration of the angular velocity detection unit 9will be described.

The angular velocity detection unit 9 includes the plug 93, themicrocomputer 94, the two-axis gyro sensor 95, and the one-axis gyrosensor 96. As described above, the angular velocity detection unit 9detects angular velocities around three axes (the X-axis Y-axis, andZ-axis in the present embodiment), and outputs data (angular velocities)indicative of the detected angular velocities to the controller 7.

The two-axis gyro sensor 95 detects angular velocities (per unit time)around the Y-axis and around the X-axis, respectively. Further, theone-axis gyro sensor 96 detects angular velocity (per unit time) aroundthe Z-axis.

In the present embodiment, in order to detect the angular velocitiesaround the three axes, the two-axis gyro sensor 95 and the one-axis gyrosensor 96 are used, however, in another embodiment, the number and thecombination of the gyro sensors may be determined arbitrarily as long asthe angular velocities around the three axes can be detected. Thetwo-axis gyro sensor 95 and the one-axis gyro sensor 96 will becollectively described as the gyro sensors 95 and 96.

Data indicative of the angular velocities detected by the gyro sensors95 and 96 is outputted to the microcomputer 94. Therefore, dataindicative of the angular velocities around three of the X-axis, Y-axis,and Z-axis is inputted to the microcomputer 94. The microcomputer 94outputs, as angular velocity data, data indicative of the angularvelocities around the above-described three axes to the controller 7 viathe plug 93. The output from the microcomputer 94 to the controller 7 isperformed sequentially in predetermined cycles. Since the game processis generally performed in a cycle of 1/60 sec. (as one frame time), thewireless transmission is preferably performed in a cycle of a shortertime period.

The controller 7 will be described again. Data from the controller 7such as an operation signal (key data) from the operation section 72, anacceleration signal in the three axis directions (X-axis, Y-axis, andZ-axis direction acceleration data) from the acceleration sensor 701,process result data from the imaging information calculation section 74,and data indicative of the angular velocities around the three axes(X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis angular velocity data) from the angularvelocity detection unit 9 are outputted to the microcomputer 751. Themicrocomputer 751 temporarily stores the inputted data (the key data,the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis direction acceleration data, the processresult data, and the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis angular velocity data)in the memory 752 as transmission data to be transmitted to the wirelesscontroller module 19. The wireless transmission from the communicationsection 75 to the wireless controller module 19 is performed inpredetermined time cycles. Since the game process is generally performedin a cycle of 1/60 sec., the wireless transmission needs to be performedin a cycle of a shorter time period. Specifically, the game process isperformed in a cycle of 16.7 ms ( 1/60 sec.), and a transmission cycleof the communication section 75 composed of the Bluetooth (registeredtrademark) is 5 ms. At a timing of performing a wireless transmission tothe wireless controller module 19, the microcomputer 751 outputs, to thewireless module 753, the transmission data stored in the memory 752 as aseries of pieces of operation information. The wireless module 753 thenuses the Bluetooth (registered trademark) technology, for example, so asto emit a radio signal indicative of the operation information from theantenna 754 by using a carrier wave having a predetermined frequency. Inother words, data including the key data from the operation section 72,the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis direction acceleration data from theacceleration sensor 701, the process result data from the imaginginformation calculation section 74, and the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axisangular velocity data received from the angular velocity detection unit9 is transmitted from the controller 7. The wireless controller module19 of the game apparatus body 5 receives the radio signal, and the radiosignal is demodulated or decoded in the game apparatus body 5, whereby aseries of pieces of operation information (such as the key data, theX-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis direction acceleration data, the processresult data, and the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis angular velocity data)is obtained. The CPU 10 included in the game apparatus body 5 performsthe game process based on the obtained operation information and on thegame program. In the case where the communication section 75 isconfigured by using the Bluetooth (registered trademark) technology, thecommunication section 75 may have a function of receiving transmissiondata wirelessly transmitted from another device.

By using the unit-equipped controller 6, the player can perform not onlya general game operation of pressing respective operation buttons, whichis conventionally introduced, but can also perform an operation oftilting the unit-equipped controller 6 at an arbitrary tilt angle. Inaddition, by using the unit-equipped controller 6, the player canperform an operation of pointing the unit-equipped controller 6 to agiven position on a screen, and can perform an operation of moving theunit-equipped controller 6.

Characteristic Operation of the Present Embodiment

In the following, a characteristic operation performed by the gameapparatus body 5 will be described. The characteristic operation is, inthe present embodiment, an operation of moving an item (object) withinan area displayed on a screen, by scrolling (or switching) the area, toanother area currently not displayed on the screen.

FIG. 8 illustrates an operation of moving a pointer 101 displayed on ascreen 100 of the monitor 2 by using the unit-equipped controller 6. Asshown in FIG. 8, the pointer 101 represents a right hand. As shown inFIG. 8, a player can move the pointer 101 by performing a wavingoperation such that an orientation of the unit-equipped controller 6changes. Specifically, when the player waves the unit-equippedcontroller 6 in a rotation direction (counterclockwise rotationdirection with respect to a Y-axis positive direction) indicated by anarrow 102, the pointer 101 moves in a right direction (direction of anarrow 106). When the player waves the unit-equipped controller 6 in arotation direction (clockwise rotation direction with respect to theY-axis positive direction) indicated by an arrow 103, the pointer 101moves in a left direction (direction of an arrow 107). When the playerwaves the unit-equipped controller 6 in a rotation direction(counterclockwise rotation direction with respect to an X-axis positivedirection) indicated by an arrow 104, the pointer 101 moves in a downdirection (direction of an arrow 108). When the player waves theunit-equipped controller 6 in a rotation direction (clockwise rotationdirection with respect to the X-axis positive direction) indicated by anarrow 105, the pointer 101 moves in an up direction (direction of anarrow 109). It should be noted that the operation can be realized bymoving the pointer 101 a distance based on angular velocities around theX-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis detected by the angular velocitydetection unit 9.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, in an area within a virtual space displayedon the screen 100, there are a plurality of quadrangular positioningareas 200 in which items (objects) are positioned. There are varioustypes of positioning areas 200. In the present embodiment, there are anormal type positioning area 200 a, a bug cage type positioning area 200b representing a bug cage, and a sword pedestal type positioning area200 e which is larger than the normal type. In addition, among itemspositioned on the positioning areas 200, there are a clothes item 300 arepresenting a clothes, a jewelry item 300 b representing a jewelry, abug item 300 c representing a bug, a sword item 300 d representing asword, and the like. The clothes item 300 a and the jewelry item 300 band the like are the normal items and are positioned on the normal typepositioning areas 200 a. The bug item 300 c and the sword item 300 d arespecial items and the bug item 300 e is positioned on the bug cage typepositioning area 200 b and the sword item 300 d is positioned on thesword pedestal type positioning area 200 c.

FIG. 9 illustrates respective areas within the virtual space displayedon the screen 100. As shown in FIG. 9, on the screen 100, one of aplurality of areas (hereinafter referred to as “display areas”) A to Cwithin the virtual space is displayed. The display area A is a displayarea displayed on the screen 100 of FIG. 8. In the following, acurrently displayed display area on the screen 100 is indicated by athick frame. In the display areas B and C, as in the same manner as inthe display area A, the positioning areas 200 are positioned and itemsare also positioned. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the positioning areas200 in each of the display areas A to C are different in number andposition from each other.

As will be described in the following, by using the unit-equippedcontroller 6, the player can determine a desired item displayed on thescreen 100 as an item (target item to be moved) to be moved, and, asindicated by arrows of FIG. 9, move the target item to be moved toanother display area by switching the display area. It should be notedthat, in the following description, a thick frame indicating that thearea is being displayed on the screen 100 is fixed on the screen, andthe display area to be displayed on the screen 100 is switched by movingthe display areas A to C.

Firstly, with reference to FIGS. 10 to 17B, an action (operation) ofmoving the clothes item 300 a which is a normal item positioned in thenormal type positioning area 200 a in the display area A to anotherdisplay area will be described in detail.

As shown in FIG. 10, by performing an operation of waving theunit-equipped controller 6 as described with reference to FIG. 8, theplayer moves the pointer 101 to a position of the clothes item 300 a.Then, as shown in FIG. 11, by pressing the A button (72 d: see FIG. 3)of the unit-equipped controller 6, the player determines the clothesitem 300 a as a target item to be moved. FIG. 11 illustrates a displayin which the right hand-shaped pointer 101 lifts up the clothes item 300a, thereby determining the clothes item 300 a as a target item to bemoved.

Thereafter, when the player intends to move the clothes item 300 a whichis determined as a target item to be moved from the display area A tothe display area B, as shown in FIG. 12, the player performs anoperation of waving the unit-equipped controller 6 in a left direction(X-axis negative direction). In accordance with the operation, thedisplay areas A to C circulate in directions of arrows of FIG. 12,thereby switching the display area displayed on the screen 100 from thedisplay area A to the display area B. As a result, the clothes item 300a moves from the display area A to the display area B.

FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B each illustrate an example of a mode in which thecurrently displayed display area on the screen 100 is switched from thedisplay area A to the display area B. When, as shown in FIG. 12, anoperation of waving the unit-equipped controller 6 in a left directionis performed in a state where the clothes item 300 a is determined as atarget item to be moved, as shown in FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B, on thescreen 100, the display area A is switched gradually from the right sidethereof to the display area B At this time, as shown in FIG. 13B, whenthe display area is switched, the clothes item 300 a which is a targetitem to be moved and the pointer 101 remain in the state of beingdisplayed at the same position of the screen 100.

FIG. 14A shows the screen 100 on which the display area A has beenswitched to the display area B as shown in FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B. Inthis state, the player is pressing the A button of the unit-equippedcontroller 6 and the clothes item 300 a remains determined as a targetitem to be moved. Then, when the A button is released from being pressedby the player, as shown in FIG. 14B, the clothes item 300 a and thepointer 101 are moved to above the normal type positioning area 200 a inthe display area B after the movement, which is associated in advancewith the normal type positioning area 200 a (see FIG. 10) in the displayarea A in which the clothes item 300 a has been positioned before themovement and positioned in the positioning area 200 a in the displayarea B. In FIG. 14B, as an example, the normal type positioning area 200a in a position closest to the clothes item 300 a and the pointer 101 isassociated with the clothes item 300 a and the pointer 101, and theclothes item 300 a and the pointer 101 are positioned in the positioningarea 200 a. It should be noted that, when positioning the item, as shownin FIG. 14B, a display of clothes item 300 a being lifted up by thepointer 101 is cancelled and a display of the clothes item 300 a placedin the positioning area 200 a indicating that the clothes item 300 a isno longer a target item to be moved is displayed.

Next, an action (operation) of moving the clothes item 300 a shown inFIG. 11 in the state where the clothes item 300 a is determined as atarget item to be moved, from the display area A to the display area C.At this time, as shown in FIG. 15, the player performs an operation ofwaving the unit-equipped controller 6 in a right direction (X-axispositive direction). In accordance with the operation, the display areasA to C circulate in directions of arrows of FIG. 15, and the currentlydisplayed display area on the screen 100 is switched from the displayarea A to the display area C. As a result, the clothes item 300 a ismoved from the display area A to the display area C.

FIG. 16A and FIG. 16B each illustrate an example of a mode in which thecurrently displayed display area on the screen 100 is switched from thedisplay area A to the display area C. When, as shown in FIG. 15, anoperation of waving the unit-equipped controller 6 in a right directionis performed in a state where the clothes item 300 a is determined as atarget item to be moved, as shown in FIG. 16A and FIG. 16B, on thescreen 100, the display area A is switched gradually from the left sidethereof to the display area C At this time, as shown in FIG. 16B, whenthe display area is switched, the clothes item 300 a which is a targetitem to be moved and the pointer 101 remain in the state of beingdisplayed in the same position of the screen 100.

FIG. 17A shows the screen 100 on which the display area A has beenswitched to the display area C as shown in FIG. 16A and FIG. 16B. Inthis state, the player is pressing the A button of the unit-equippedcontroller 6 and the clothes item 300 a remain determined as a targetitem to be moved. Then, when the A button is released from being pressedby the player, as shown in FIG. 17B, the clothes item 300 a and thepointer 101 are moved to above the normal type positioning area 200 a inthe display area C after the movement, which is associated in advancewith the normal type positioning area 200 a (see FIG. 10) in the displayarea A in which the clothes item 300 a has been positioned before themovement and positioned in the positioning area 200 a in the displayarea C. In FIG. 17B, as an example, the normal type positioning area 200a in a position closest to the clothes item 300 a and the pointer 101 isassociated with the clothes item 300 a and the pointer 101, and theclothes item 300 a and the pointer 101 are positioned in the positioningarea 200 a. It should be noted that, when positioning the item, as shownin FIG. 17B, a display of clothes item 300 a being lifted up by thepointer 101 is cancelled and a display of the clothes item 300 a placedin the positioning area 200 a indicating that the clothes item 300 a isno longer a target item to be moved is displayed.

Next, an action (operation) of determining the sword item 300 d (seeFIG. 8) which is a special item as a target item to be moved and movingthe sword item 300 d from the display area A to display area B. Itshould be noted that an action (operation) of moving the item from thedisplay area A to the display area C will not be described. First, theplayer performs an operation in the same manner as in the operationdescribed with reference to FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 and determines the sworditem 300 d as a target item to be moved. Then, the player performs anoperation in the same manner as in the operation described withreference to FIG. 12, switches the currently displayed display area onthe screen 100 from the display area A to display area B, and moves thesword item 300 d from the display area A to display area B.

FIG. 18A and FIG. 18B each illustrate an example of a mode in which thecurrently displayed display area on the screen 100 is switched from thedisplay area A to the display area B. When an operation of waving theunit-equipped controller 6 in a left direction is performed in a statewhere the sword item 300 d is determined as a target item to be moved,as shown in FIG. 18A and FIG. 18B, on the screen 100, the display area Ais switch gradually from the right side thereof to the display area B.At this time, as shown in FIG. 18B, when the display area is switched,the sword item 300 d which is a target item to be moved and the pointer101 remain in the state of being displayed in the same position of thescreen 100.

FIG. 19A shows the screen 100 on which the display area A has beenswitched to the display area B as shown in FIG. 18A and FIG. 18B. Inthis state, the player is pressing the A button of the unit-equippedcontroller 6 and the sword item 300 d remain determined as a target itemto be moved. Then, when the A button is released from being pressed bythe player, as shown in FIG. 19B, the sword item 300 d and the pointer101 are moved to above the sword pedestal type positioning area 200 c inthe display area B after the movement, which is associated in advancewith the sword pedestal type positioning area 200 c (see FIG. 8) in thedisplay area A in which the sword item 300 d has been positioned beforethe movement and positioned in the positioning area 200 c in the displayarea B. It should be noted that, when positioning the item, as shown inFIG. 19B, a display of the sword item 300 d being lifted up by thepointer 101 is cancelled and a display of the sword item 300 d placed inthe positioning area 200 c indicating that the sword item 300 d is nolonger a target item to be moved is displayed.

Next, an action (operation) of determining the bug item 300 c (see FIG.8) which is a special item as a target item to be moved and moving thebug item 300 c from the display area A to the display area B. It shouldbe noted that an action (operation) of moving the item from the displayarea A to the display area C will not be described. In addition,operations of determining the bug item 300 c as a target item to bemoved, switching the currently displayed display area on the screen 100from the display area A to the display area B, and moving the bug item300 c from the display area A to the display area B are similar to thosedescribed above, and descriptions thereof are omitted. Further, as shownin FIG. 20A and FIG. 20B, when an operation of waving the unit-equippedcontroller 6 in a left direction is performed in a state where the bugitem 300 c is determined as a target item to be moved, in the samemanner as those of FIGS. 13A, 13B, 18A and 18B, on the screen 100, thedisplay area A is switched gradually from the right side thereof to thedisplay area B.

FIG. 21A shows the screen 100 on which the display area A has beenswitched to the display area B as shown in FIG. 20A and FIG. 20B. Inthis state, the player is pressing the A button of the unit-equippedcontroller 6 and the bug item 300 c remain determined as a target itemto be moved. Then, when the A button is released from being pressed bythe player, as shown in FIG. 21B, the bug item 300 c and the pointer 101are moved to above the bug cage type positioning area 200 b in thedisplay area B after the movement, which is associated in advance withthe bug cage type positioning area 200 b (see FIG. 8) in the displayarea A in which the bug item 300 c has been positioned before themovement and positioned in the positioning area 200 b in the displayarea B. It should be noted that, when positioning the item, as shown inFIG. 21B, a display of the bug item 300 c being lifted up by the pointer101 is cancelled and a display of the bug item 300 c put in thepositioning area 200 b indicating that the bug item 300 c is no longer atarget item to be moved is displayed.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the player performs anoperation of changing the orientation of the unit-equipped controller 6and thereby moves the pointer 101 to above an item which the playerintends to move (see FIG. 8), presses the A button to determine the itemas a target item to be moved, performs an operation of waving theunit-equipped controller 6 and thereby switches the currently displayeddisplay area on the screen 100 to an other display area, moves thetarget item to be moved to the other display area (see FIG. 12), andthen releases the A button and thereby positions the target item to bemoved in the other display area. That is, according to the presentembodiment, by performing a button operation of pressing and releasingthe A button and an operation of moving the unit-equipped controller 6,the player can move a desired item to another display area quickly. Thisoperation is similar to a human action of grasping a stuff (item) andmoving the stuff to another position. Thus, according to the presentembodiment, the player can perform an operation of selecting an item(object) and moving the item to another display area intuitively withimproved operability.

[Details of Game Processing]

Next, game processing performed on the game system 1 will be describedin detail. Firstly, with reference to FIG. 22, main data used in gameprocessing according to the present embodiment will be described. Itshould be noted that FIG. 22 illustrates the main data and programsstored in the external main memory 12 and/or the internal main memory 35(hereinafter, these two main memories are collectively referred to as amain memory) of the game apparatus body 5.

As shown in FIG. 22, a data storage area of the main memory storesoperation data 401, various images data 405, display areas data 406,display area-to-area association data 407, item type data 408, itemposition data 409, pointer position data 410, acceleration thresholddata 411, positioning area-to-area correspondence table data 412, itemtype/positioning area correspondence table data 413, and the like. Itshould be noted that the main memory stores data necessary for the gameprocessing other than the data shown in FIG. 22. Further, a programmemory area of the main memory stores various programs 400 whichconfigures the game program.

The operation data 401 is operation information transmitted from theunit-equipped controller 6 to the game apparatus body 5 and includesangular velocity data 402, button operation data 403, acceleration data404, and the like.

The angular velocity data 402 is data indicating angular velocitiesdetected by the gyro-sensors 95 and 96 in the angular velocity detectionunit 9. Specifically, the angular velocity data 402 is data indicatingthe angular velocities applied to the unit-equipped controller 6 andincludes X-axis angular velocity data indicating an angular velocityaround the X-axis, Y-axis angular velocity data indicating an angularvelocity around the Y-axis, and Z-axis angular velocity data indicatingan angular velocity around the Z-axis, which are detected by thegyro-sensors 95 and 96.

The button operation data 403 is data indicating that the respectiveoperation buttons (e.g., A button) of the controller 7 are operated.

The acceleration data 404 is data indicating the acceleration detectedby the acceleration sensor 701. Specifically, the acceleration data 404is data indicating acceleration applied to the controller 7 (theunit-equipped controller 6) and includes X-axis direction accelerationdata indicating an acceleration with respect to an X-axis component,Y-axis direction acceleration data indicating an acceleration withrespect to a Y-axis component, and Z-axis direction acceleration dataindicating an acceleration with respect to a Z-axis component, which aredetected by the acceleration sensor 701.

It should be noted that the wireless controller module 19 provided inthe game apparatus body 5 receives acceleration data and angularvelocity data included in the operation information transmitted from theunit-equipped controller 6 at predetermined cycles (e.g., every 1/200sec), and stores the data in a buffer not shown which is provided in thewireless controller module 19. Then, every frame (e.g., every 1/60 sec)which corresponds to a game process period, the acceleration data andthe angular velocity data stored in the buffer during the frame periodare loaded, and the acceleration data 404 and the angular velocity data402 in the main memory are updated.

The various images data 405 is data indicating various images which aredisplayed on the screen 100. Specifically, the various images data 405is data indicating images which configure the display areas A to C,images of respective items, images of the pointer 101, and the like.

The display areas data 406 is data relating to the display areas A to Cand indicates the number, positions, and seizes, and the like ofpositioning areas in each display area.

The display area-to-area association data 407 is data indicating apredetermined sequence in which the display areas A to C are associatedwith one another.

The item type data 408 is data indicating a type of an item, whichindicates whether the item is a normal item or a special item, and whenthe item is a special item, what the item is.

The item position data 409 is data indicating positions of respectiveitems positioned in the display areas A to C.

The pointer position data 410 is data indicating the position of thepointer 101 in the currently displayed display area on the screen 100.

The acceleration threshold data 411 is data indicating a predeterminedacceleration and is data used to determine whether the currentlydisplayed display area on the screen 100 is to be switched.

The positioning area-to-area correspondence table data 412 is dataindicating a table in which positioning areas in the display areas A toC are associated with one another.

The item type/positioning area correspondence table data 413 is dataindicating a table in which types of special items (sword item, bugitem) are associated with positioning areas in the display areas A to C.

Next, with reference to flow charts shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, processingperformed by the CPU 10 based on the programs stored in the main memorywill be described. It should be noted that the processing of the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 23 and 24 progresses as process steps are repeatedevery frame (e.g., 1/60 sec).

Firstly, in step S1, the CPU 10 gives an instruction to the GPU 32 torender a display area which is a target to be displayed and display thedisplay are on the screen 100 of the monitor 2 (see FIG. 8, and thelike). At this time, the GPU 32 renders the display area which is atarget to be displayed by using the various images data 405, the displayareas data 406, the item position data 409, the pointer position data410, and the like. Then, the CPU 10 shifts the processing to step S2.

In step S2, the CPU 10 obtains the angular velocity data 402 from themain memory. Then, the CPU 10 shifts the processing to step S3.

In step S3, based on the angular velocity data 402 obtained in step S2,the CPU 10 moves the position of the pointer 101 displayed on the screen100 (see FIG. 8). Specifically, the angular velocities indicated by theangular velocity data 402 are associated with the moving amount of thepointer 101, and the CPU 10 moves the pointer 101 in the longitudinaldirection of the screen 100 in accordance with the X-axis angularvelocity data and moves the pointer 101 in the left-right direction ofthe screen 100 in accordance with the Y-axis angular velocity data. Itshould be noted that, based on the initial setting, for example, aparticular orientation of the unit-equipped controller 6 is associatedwith the initial position (e.g., the center position of the screen 100)of the pointer 101. Then, the CPU 10 shifts the processing to step S4.

In step S4, with reference to the button operation data 403, the CPU 10determines whether the A button of the unit-equipped controller 6 hasbeen pressed. When the determination result in step S4 is YES, the CPU10 shifts the processing to step S5 while when the determination resultin step S4 is NO, the CPU 10 returns the processing to step S1. Whilethe processes of steps S1 to S4 are repeated, the player can move thepointer 101 to a desired position by moving the unit-equipped controller6 (see FIG. 8).

In step S5, with reference to the item position data 409 and the pointerposition data 410, the CPU 10 determines whether the pointer 101designates any item. When the determination result in step S5 is YES(see FIG. 10 and the like), the CPU 10 shifts the processing to step S6while when the determination result in step S5 is NO, the CPU 10 returnsthe processing to step S1.

In step S6, the CPU 10 determines the item determined to be designatedby the pointer 101 in step 5 as a target item to be moved. At this time,the CPU 10 displays the pointer 101 which represents a hand grasping thetarget item to be moved (see FIG. 11 and the like). Then, the CPU 10shifts the processing to step S7.

In step S7, the CPU 10 fixes positions of the target item to be movedand the pointer 101 in the virtual space. That is, the CPU 10 fixes thepositions of the target item to be moved and the pointer 101 so as notto move even when the unit-equipped controller 6 moves. Then, the CPUshifts the processing to step S8.

In step S8, the CPU 10 obtains the acceleration data 404. Then, the CPU10 shifts the processing to step S9.

In step S9, based on the acceleration data 404 and the accelerationthreshold data 411 obtained in step S8, the CPU 10 determines whetherthe acceleration of the unit-equipped controller 6 in the rightdirection is greater than or equal to a predetermined value.Specifically, the CPU 10 determines whether the acceleration (negativeacceleration in this case) indicated by the X-axis directionacceleration data included in the acceleration data 404 is lower than orequal to a predetermined negative acceleration indicated by theacceleration threshold data 411 and thereby determines whether theplayer has performed an operation of waving the unit-equipped controller6 in the right direction with a momentum of or greater than apredetermined value (see FIG. 15). When the determination result in stepS9 is YES, the CPU 10 shifts the processing to step S13 while when thedetermination result in step S9 is NO, the CPU 10 shifts the processingto step S10.

In step S13, the CPU 10 shifts the display area in the right directionand thereby switches the display area displayed on the screen 100 toanother display area (see FIG. 15). Specifically, with reference to thedisplay area-to-area association data 407, the CPU 10 switches thecurrently displayed display area (the display area A in FIG. 15) to thedisplay area (the display area C in FIG. 15) positioned to the left ofthe currently displayed display area as a new display area so as todisplay on the screen 100 (see FIGS. 16A, 16B, 17A). At this time,having been fixed in step S7, the target item to be moved and thepointer 101 do not move in accordance with the operation of waving theunit-equipped controller 6 with respect to which the determination hasbeen made in step S9. Then, the CPU 10 shifts the processing to stepS15.

In step S10, based on the acceleration data 404 and the accelerationthreshold data 411 obtained in step S8, the CPU 10 determines whetherthe acceleration of the unit-equipped controller 6 in the left directionis greater than or equal to a predetermined value. Specifically, the CPU10 determines whether the acceleration (positive acceleration in thiscase) indicated by the X-axis direction acceleration data included inthe acceleration data 404 is greater than or equal to a predeterminedpositive acceleration indicated by the acceleration threshold data 411and thereby determines whether the player has performed an operation ofwaving the unit-equipped controller 6 in the left direction with amomentum of or greater than a predetermined value (see FIG. 15). Whenthe determination result in step S10 is YES, the CPU 10 shifts theprocessing to step S14 while when the determination result in step S10is NO, the CPU 10 shifts the processing to step S11.

In step S14, the CPU 10 shifts the display area in the left directionand thereby switches the display area displayed on the screen 100 toanother display area (see FIG. 12). Specifically, with reference to thedisplay area-to-area association data 407, the CPU 10 switches thecurrently displayed display are (the display area A in FIG. 12) to thedisplay area (the display area B in FIG. 12) positioned to the right ofthe currently displayed display area as a new display area so as todisplay on the screen 100 (see FIGS. 13A, 13B, 14A). At this time,having been fixed in step S7, the target item to be moved and thepointer 101 do not move in accordance with the operation of waving theunit-equipped controller 6 with respect to which the determination hasbeen made in step S10. Then, the CPU 10 shifts the processing to stepS15.

In step S11, with reference to the button operation data 403, the CPU 10determines whether the A button of the unit-equipped controller 6 hasbeen released from being pressed. When the determination result in stepS11 is YES, the CPU 10 shifts the processing to step S12 while when thedetermination result in step S11 is NO, the CPU 10 shifts the processingto step S20.

In step S20, as in the same manner as in step S1, the CPU 10 gives aninstruction to the GPU 32 to render a display area which is a target tobe displayed to display the display area on the screen 100 of themonitor 2 (see FIG. 11 and the like). Then, the CPU 10 returns theprocessing to step S8.

In step S12, the CPU 10 releases the target item to be moved and thepointer 101 fixed in step S7 from being fixed. Then, the CPU 10 returnsthe processing to step S1.

In step S15, with reference to the button operation data 403, the CPU 10determines whether the A button of the unit-equipped controller 6 hasbeen released from being pressed. When the determination result in stepS15 is YES, the CPU 10 shifts the processing to step S16 while when thedetermination result in step S15 is NO, the CPU 10 shifts the processingto step S20 and then returns to step S8. That is, when the player wavesthe unit-equipped controller 6 in the right direction in a state wherethe A button is being pressed so as to determine the target item to bemoved, the display area can be switched in the right direction whilewhen the player waves the unit-equipped controller 6 in the leftdirection in the above state, the display area can be switched in theleft direction.

In step S16 of FIG. 24, the CPU 10 releases the target item to be movedand the pointer 101 fixed in step S7 from being fixed. Then, the CPU 10shifts the processing to step S17.

In step S17, with reference to the item type data 408, the CPU 10determines whether the target item to be moved is a normal item.Specifically, with reference to the item type data 408, the CPU 10determines whether the target item to be moved is a normal item such asthe clothes item 300 a and the like or a special item such as the sworditem 300 d and the like (see FIG. 8). When the item to be moved is anormal item (YES in step S17), the CPU 10 shifts the processing to stepS19 while when the item to be moved is a special item (NO in step S17),the CPU 10 shifts the processing to step S18.

In step S18, with reference to the item type/positioning areacorrespondence table data 413, the CPU 10 positions the special item ina positioning area associated with the special item to be moved in a newdisplay area. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B, the CPU 10positions the sword item 300 d in the positioning area 200 c associatedwith the item. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 21A and 21B, the CPU 10positions the bug item 300 c in the positioning area 200 b associatedwith the item. It should be noted that, when positioning a special itemto be moved, if the position at which the item has been released frombeing fixed in step S16 is different from the position of thepositioning area in which the special item to be moved is to bepositioned, as shown in FIGS. 19A, 19B, and the like, the CPU 10 movesthe special item to be moved and the pointer 101 to the positioningarea. Further, when the special item to be moved has been positioned,the CPU 10 displays the pointer 101 having released the special item(see FIG. 19B and the like). Then, the CPU 10 returns the processing tostep S1 of FIG. 23.

In step S19, with reference to the positioning area-to-areacorrespondence table data 412, the CPU 10 positions the normal item in apositioning area in a new display area associated with the positioningarea in which the normal item to be moved has been positioned in thedisplay area before the display area is switched. For example, as shownin FIGS. 14A and 14B, the CPU 10 positions the clothes item 300 a in thepositioning area 200 a associated with the item. It should be notedthat, when positioning a normal item to be moved, if the position atwhich the item has been released from being fixed in step S16 isdifferent from the position of the positioning area in which the normalitem to be moved is to be positioned, as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, theCPU 10 moves the normal item to be moved and the pointer 101 in thepositioning area. Further, when the normal item to be moved has beenpositioned, the CPU 10 displays the pointer 101 having released thenormal item (see FIG. 14B and the like). Then, the CPU 10 returns theprocessing to step S1 of FIG. 23.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, by performing abutton operation of pressing and releasing the A button and an operationof moving the unit-equipped controller 6, the player can move a desireditem to another display area quickly. This operation is similar to ahuman action of grasping a stuff (item) and moving the stuff to anotherposition. Thus, according to the present embodiment, the player canperform an operation of selecting an item and moving the item to anotherdisplay area intuitively with improved operability.

Further, in the present embodiment, an item is fixed during the item isdetermined as a target item to be moved. Accordingly, the target item tobe moved does not move when the display area is switched, therebypreventing the player from losing sight of the target item to be moved.

Further, in the present embodiment, positioning areas in the respectivedisplay areas are associated with one another, and thus, when a normalitem is moved from a display area to another display area having adifferent layout of positioning areas, the normal item is positionedautomatically in an associated positioning area. Accordingly, the playerdoes not need to perform a cumbersome operation of moving a normal itemso as to position the normal item in a positioning area.

Further, in the present embodiment, a special item is associated with apositioning area in which the special item should be positioned, andthus, when the special item is moved to a new display area, the specialitem is positioned in the associated positioning area automatically.Accordingly, the player does not need to perform a cumbersome operationof moving the special item so as to position the special item in apositioning area in which the special item is to be positioned.

[Modification]

It should be noted that, in the present embodiment, the display area isswitched by performing an operation using only the unit-equippedcontroller 6 (see FIG. 12 and the like). However, as shown in FIG. 25,for example, an extended controller 500 may be used in addition to theunit-equipped controller 6 to perform an operation of switching thedisplay area. It should be noted that the extended controller 500 iselectrically connected to the unit-equipped controller 6 via a cable(not shown). Further, the player grasps the unit-equipped controller 6with his/her right hand and grasps the extended controller 500 withhis/her left hand, and performs an operation.

In the following, a detailed description will be made. The extendedcontroller 500 includes an acceleration sensor similar to theacceleration sensor 701 included in the unit-equipped controller 6, andcan detect, as in the same manner as the unit-equipped controller 6,accelerations in an X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis directions (see FIG. 25).The unit-equipped controller 6 transmits, to the game apparatus body 5,acceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor 701 as well asacceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor of the extendedcontroller 500. Then, as shown in FIG. 25, when an operation of wavingthe unit-equipped controller 6 in an X-axis positive direction isperformed, the game apparatus body 5 shifts the display area in theright direction whereby switches the display area. Further, as shown inFIG. 26, when an operation of waving the extended controller 500 in anX-axis negative direction is performed, the game apparatus body 5 shiftsthe display area in the left direction whereby switches the displayarea.

FIG. 27 is a flow chart illustrating processing performed in the aboveconfiguration. The flow chart of FIG. 27 is equivalent to the flow chartof FIG. 23 except that the processes of steps 8, S9, S10 are replacedwith steps 81, S91, S101, respectively. It should be noted that, aprocess performed when a determination result in step S15 of FIG. 27 isYES is the same as that shown in FIG. 24, and thus description thereofwill be omitted. In step S81, the CPU 10 obtains the acceleration data404 and thereby obtains acceleration data of the unit-equippedcontroller 6 and the extended controller 500. In step 91, based on theacceleration data 404 and the acceleration threshold data 411 obtainedin step S81, the CPU 10 determines whether acceleration of theunit-equipped controller 6 in the right direction is greater than orequal to a predetermined value. In step S101, based on the accelerationdata 404 and the acceleration threshold data 411 obtained in step S81,the CPU 10 determines whether acceleration of the extended controller500 in the left direction is greater than or equal to a predeterminedvalue.

As described above, in a modification of present embodiment, by wavingthe unit-equipped controller 6 grasped with his/her right hand, theplayer can shift the display area in the right direction and therebyswitch the display area, and by waving the extended controller 500grasped with his/her left hand, the player can shift the display area inthe left direction and thereby switch the display area. Accordingly, inthe same manner as in the present embodiment, the player can select anitem and move the item to another display screen intuitively withimproved operability.

It should be noted that, in the present modification, for example, thedisplay area may be shifted in the right direction so as to be switchedwhen the unit-equipped controller 6 is waved in any direction, and thedisplay area may be shifted in the left direction so as to be switchedwhen the extended controller 500 is waved in any direction. Further, inthe configuration of the present modification, for example, display areamay be shifted in the d right direction so as to be switched when theunit-equipped controller 6 is waved in the longitudinal direction, andthe display area may be shifted in the left direction so as to beswitched when the extended controller 500 is waved in the longitudinaldirection. In this manner, in the configuration of the presentmodification, the display area may be switched in a predetermineddirection in accordance with a predetermined movement of theunit-equipped controller 6, and the display area may be switched in apredetermined direction different from the above predetermined directionin accordance with a predetermined movement of the extended controller500.

Further, in the present embodiment described above with reference toFIGS. 23 and 24, the positions of the pointer 101 and the determineditem are fixed (see S6 and S7 of FIG. 23) at a time when the target itemto be moved is determined. However, in the present embodiment describedabove, even when the target item to be moved is determined, the pointer101 and the determined item may be moved in accordance with an operationof waving the unit-equipped controller 6 by the player without beingfixed. That is, in the same manner as in the operation of moving thepointer 101 within the screen 100 as described with reference to FIG. 8,the target item to be moved and the pointer 101 grasping the target item(see FIG. 11 and the like) may be moved within the screen 100.

In the following, a detailed description will be made with reference toFIGS. 28 and 29. FIGS. 28 and 29 are flow charts illustrating processingperformed in the above configuration. The flow chart of FIG. 28 isequivalent to the flow chart of FIG. 23 except that the processes ofsteps S7 and S12 are omitted and a process of step S30 is addedimmediately preceding the process of step S13, a process of step S40 isadded immediately preceding the process of step S14, and processes ofsteps S21 and S22 are added immediately following the process of stepS20. The flow chart of FIG. 29 is equivalent to the flow chart of FIG.24 except that the process of step S16 is omitted and the process ofstep S19 is replaced with a process of step S191.

When the determination result in step S9 of FIG. 28 is YES, in step S30,the CPU 10 stores, in the main memory, the positions (coordinates) ofthe pointer 101 and the target item to be moved in the currentlydisplayed display area on the screen 100. Then, the CPU 10 shifts theprocessing to step S13 and the display area is shifted in the rightdirection so as to be switched. At this time, the pointer 101 and thetarget item to be moved are displayed at the positions (coordinates) ina new display area, which are stored as described above. When thedetermination result in step S10 is YES, in step S40, the CPU 10 stores,in the main memory, the positions (coordinates) of the pointer 101 andthe target item to be moved in the currently displayed display area onthe screen 100 as in the same manner as in step S30. Then, the CPU 10shifts the processing to step S14, and the display area is shifted inthe left direction so as to be switched. At this time, the pointer 101and the target item to be moved are displayed at the positions(coordinates) in a new display area, which are stored as describedabove.

After the screen display process is performed in step S20, in step S21,the CPU 10 obtains the angular velocity data 402 from the main memory asin the same manner as in step S2. Then, in step S22, based on theangular velocity data 402 obtained in step S21, the CPU 10 moves thetarget item to be moved determined in step S6 and the pointer 101grasping the item.

When the determination result in step S17 of FIG. 29 is YES, in stepS191, with reference to the item position data 409 and the display areasdata 406, the CPU 10 positions the normal item in a positioning area ina new display area associated with the position of the normal item to bemoved in the new display area. Typically, in step S191, the CPU 10positions the normal item in a closest positioning area in the newdisplay area to the position of the normal item to be moved in the newdisplay area. Then, the CPU 10 returns the processing to step S1 of FIG.28.

With the configuration described with reference to FIGS. 28 and 29, theplayer can, after determining the target item to be moved (S6 of FIG.28), move the target item to be moved freely within the screen 100 (S20to S22 of FIG. 28). Then, after moving the target item to be moved to adesired position within the screen 100, the player switches the displayarea (S13 or S14 of FIG. 28). The position of the target item to bemoved on the screen 100 does not change before and after the switching(S30 and S13 or S40 and S14 of FIG. 28), thereby preventing the playerfrom losing sight of the target item to be moved. Then, the player canmove the target item to be moved freely within the screen 100 (withinthe new display area) (S20 to S22 of FIG. 28). Then, when the targetitem to be moved is a normal item, the player can position, in the newdisplay area, the target item to be moved in a positioning area(typically, the closest positioning area to the target item to be moved)associated with the position of the target item to be moved.

It should be noted that, in the flow chart of FIG. 28, the process(process of fixing the target item to be moved, and the like) of step S7of FIG. 23 is not performed, and thus it is preferable that anacceleration threshold used for determining whether the acceleration isgreater than or equal to the predetermined value in steps S9 and S10 isset to a relatively great value. Specifically, it is preferable that theacceleration threshold is set to a great value that does not cause thedisplay area to be switched by an operation performed by the player ofmoving a target item to be moved within the screen 100 during theprocesses of steps S20 to S22 of FIG. 28. Consequently, the display areacan be prevented from being switched because the process of step S13 orS14 is performed against the player's will during the player isperforming an operation of moving the target item to be moved within thescreen 100.

In the configuration described above with reference to FIGS. 28 and 29,in step S191, the normal item is positioned in the positioning area, inthe new display area, associated with the position of the normal item tobe moved in the new display area. However, in step S191 in theconfiguration describe above with reference to FIGS. 28 and 29, thenormal item may be positioned in a positioning area in a new displayarea associated with the position stored in the process of step S30 orS40. That is, in step S191, the normal item may be positioned in apositioning area in a new display area (typically, the closestpositioning area in the new display area to the position of the targetitem to be moved immediately before the switching in the display areabefore the switching) associated with the position of the normal item tobe moved immediately before the switching of the display area.

The configuration described above with reference to FIGS. 28 and 29 maybe further modified to a configuration shown in FIGS. 30 and 31. A flowchart of FIG. 30 is equivalent to the flow chart of FIG. 28 except thata process of step S71 is added immediately following the process of stepS6. A flow chart of FIG. 31 is equivalent to the flow chart of FIG. 29except that the process of step S191 is replaced with a process of stepS192. In the following, a detailed description will be made withreference to FIGS. 30 and 31.

After the target item to be moved is determined in step S6 of FIG. 30,in step S71, the CPU 10 stores, in the main memory, positions(coordinates) of the target item to be moved and the pointer 101grasping the item in the currently displayed display area on the screen100. Then, the CPU 10 shifts the processing to step S8.

When the determination result in step S17 of FIG. 31 is YES, in stepS192, the CPU 10 positions the item in a positioning area in a newdisplay area associated with the position (coordinates) in the displayarea of the item at the time when the item is determined as a targetitem to be moved, which is stored in step S71 of FIG. 30. Typically, instep S192, the CPU 10 positions the item in the closest positioning areain the new display area to the position (coordinates) in the displayarea at the time when the item is determined as a target item to bemoved, which is stored in step S71 of FIG. 30. Then, the CPU 10 returnsthe processing to step S1 of FIG. 30.

With the configuration described above with reference to FIGS. 30 and31, the player can, after determining the target item to be moved (S6 ofFIG. 30), move the target item to be moved freely within the screen 100(S20 to S22 of FIG. 30) and switch the display area (S13 or S14 of FIG.30). Then, after the above process, the player can move the target itemto be moved freely within the screen 100 (within the new display area)(S20 to S22 of FIG. 30). Then, when the player cancels the determinationof the item as being a target item to be moved (YES in S15), if thetarget item to be moved is a normal item (YES in S17), the target itemto be moved can be positioned in the positioning area (typically, theclosest positioning area to a position at which the target item to bemoved is determined), in the new display area, associated with theposition at which the target item to be moved is determined in thedisplay area before the switching. As a result, even when the pointer101 is grasping an item (target item to be moved), the pointer 101 canbe moved freely, and when the display area is switched, the target itemto be moved can be positioned in the positioning area in the displayarea after the switching associated with the position at which thetarget item to be moved has been positioned in the display area beforethe switching.

It should be noted that, in the processing of FIG. 30, the process(process of fixing the target item to be moved, and the like) of step S7of FIG. 23 is not performed in the same manner as in the processing ofFIG. 28, and thus, as in the same manner as in the processing of FIG.28, it is preferable that the acceleration threshold used fordetermining whether the acceleration is greater than or equal to thepredetermined value in steps S9 and S10 is set to a relatively greatvalue.

Further, in the present embodiment described above, an item ispositioned in a positioning area of a display area. However, forexample, there is no positioning area in a display area, and an item maybe positioned at any position in the display area. In this case, forexample, the target item to be moved may be positioned at a position ina display area after the switching associated with the position in thedisplay area at which the item has been positioned before the switching(that is, the same position on the screen 100 before and after theswitching).

In the present embodiment described above, the pointer 101 is moved inaccordance with the angular velocities detected by the unit-equippedcontroller 6. However, the pointer 101 may be moved in accordance withthe acceleration detected by the unit-equipped controller 6, or may bemoved based on the button (cross key, and the like) operation of theunit-equipped controller 6. Furthermore, the pointer 101 may be movedbased on positions of the markers 8L and 8R captured by the imaginginformation calculation section 74 of the unit-equipped controller 6.That is, a device (pointing device) for moving the pointer 101 is notlimited to gyro-sensors and may be acceleration sensors, an imagingapparatus, or the like.

Further, in the present embodiment described above, the display area isswitched in accordance with the acceleration detected by theunit-equipped controller 6. However, the display area may be switched inaccordance with the angular velocities detected by the unit-equippedcontroller 6. Further, the display area may be switched in accordancewith the acceleration and the angular velocities detected by theunit-equipped controller 6.

Further, in the present embodiment described above, the case where thereare three display areas A to C has been described as an example.However, the number of display areas may be any number as long as thereis a plurality of display areas. Further, association among displayareas (arrangement of the display areas) is not limited to that shown inFIG. 9, and may be, for example, in a matrix form. In this case, inaccordance with a waving operation in up-down and left-right directionsof the unit-equipped controller 6, the display image may be switched inthe up-down and left-right directions.

Further, in the present embodiment described above, when theunit-equipped controller 6 is waved in the right direction, the displayarea is shifted in the right direction so as to be switched (see FIG.15) while when the unit-equipped controller 6 is waved in the leftdirection, the display area is shifted in the left direction so as to beswitched (see FIG. 12). However, the display area may be shifted in theleft direction so as to be switched when the unit-equipped controller 6is waved in the right direction and the display area may be shifted inthe right direction so as to be switched when the unit-equippedcontroller 6 is waved in the left direction. Furthermore, the displayarea may be shifted in a predetermined direction (e.g., the rightdirection) when the unit-equipped controller 6 is waved in any direction(see the display areas A to C of FIG. 15).

Further, in the present embodiment described above, for ease ofdescription, it is assumed that virtual cameras which capture a virtualspace are fixed, and by moving a display area within the virtual space,the currently displayed display area on the screen 100 is switched. Atthis time, the positional relationships between the virtual cameras inthe virtual space and each display area are relatively defined.Consequently, for example, the display area may be fixed in the virtualspace and by moving the virtual cameras, the currently displayed displayarea on the screen 100 may be switched. In this case, it is assumed thatthe target item to be moved (and the pointer 101) is moved. Further,instead of capturing the virtual space by using the virtual cameras,display images (images of display areas, items, and the like) may beswitched and displayed on the screen 100.

Further, in the present embodiment described above, the presentinvention is applied to the handheld game apparatus 3; however, thepresent invention is not limitedly applied to the game apparatus 3. Forexample, the present invention is applicable to a portable informationterminal apparatus such as a mobile phone, a personal handyphone system(PHS), PDA, and the like. In addition, the present invention is alsoapplicable to a stationary game apparatus, a personal computer, and thelike.

Further, in the present embodiment described above, the above processingis performed on a single game apparatus 3; however, the above processingmay be performed using a plurality of devices which are communicablewith one another in a wired or wireless manner.

Further, in the present embodiment described above, the sequence ofprocess steps used in the above information process is a mere example,and thus it is understood that another predetermined sequence, and thelike may be employed within the scope of the present invention torealize the present invention.

The various information processing programs executed on the gameapparatus 3 of the present embodiment described above may be provided tothe game apparatus 3 through not only a storage medium such as anoutside memory 44 but also through a wired or wireless communicationline. Alternatively, the programs may be prestored in a nonvolatilestorage apparatus provided in the game apparatus 3. It should be notedthat an information storage medium for storing the programs may be annonvolatile memory as well as a CD-ROM, a DVD, and a like opticaldisc-shaped storage media, a flexible disc, a hard disc, amagneto-optical disc, a magnetic tape, and the like. Further, aninformation storage medium for storing the programs may be a volatilememory which temporarily stores the programs.

While the invention has been described in detail, the foregoingdescription is in all aspects illustrative and not restrictive. It willbe understood that numerous other modifications and variations(typically, modifications, and the like, in which the features of therespective embodiments are combined) can be devised without departingthe invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumhaving stored therein an information processing program executed by acomputer of an information processing apparatus for controlling anobject displayed on a display device based on inputs from a movementsensor for detecting a movement and an input section, the informationprocessing program, when executed, causing the computer to perform, atleast, operations comprising: displaying one of a plurality of areas onthe display device as a display area; determining an object included inthe display area as a target to be moved based on an input from theinput section; when a predetermined movement is detected by the movementsensor, switching to another area different from the display areacurrently displayed as a new display area and displaying the anotherarea on the display device together with the object determined as thetarget to be moved; based on an input from the input section, cancellinga determination of the object as being a target to be moved; and whenthe determination is cancelled, positioning the object with respect towhich the determination is cancelled in the new display area.
 2. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereinthe information processing program according to claim 1, wherein theinformation processing program further causes the computer to perform:based on an input from the input section, moving the object determinedas a target to be moved within the display area, and when switching thecurrently displayed display area to the new display area and displayingthe new display area on the display device together with the objectdetermined as a target to be moved, displaying the object determined asa target to be moved at a position in the new display area which is thesame position as a position of the object determined as a target to bemoved in the currently displayed display area.
 3. The non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium having stored therein the informationprocessing program according to claim 1, wherein when the determinationof the object as being the target to be moved is cancelled, the objectwith respect to which the determination is cancelled is positioned at aposition, in the new display area, associated with a position of theobject at a time when the object is determined as a target to be moved.4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having storedtherein the information processing program according to claim 1, whereinwhen the determination of the object as being the target to be moved iscancelled, the object with respect to which the determination iscancelled is positioned at a position, in the new display area,associated with a position of the object determined as a target to bemoved in the currently displayed display area immediately beforeswitching the currently displayed display area to the new display area.5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having storedtherein the information processing program according to claim 1, whereinwhen the determination of the object as being the target to be moved iscancelled, the object with respect to which the determination iscancelled is positioned at a position, in the new display area,associated with a position of the object determined as a target to bemoved in the new display area.
 6. The non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium having stored therein the information processing programaccording to claim 3, wherein at least one positioning area in which theobject can be positioned is set in each of the plurality of areas, andwhen the determination of the object as being the target to be moved iscancelled, the object with respect to which the determination iscancelled is positioned in a positioning area, in the new display area,associated with a positioning area in the display area before switching,in which the object determined as a target to be moved has beenpositioned.
 7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumhaving stored therein the information processing program according toclaim 4, wherein at least one positioning area in which the object canbe positioned is set in each of the plurality of areas, and when thedetermination of the object as being the target to be moved iscancelled, the object with respect to which the determination iscancelled is positioned in a positioning area, in the new display area,associated with a position of the object determined as a target to bemoved in the currently displayed display area immediately beforeswitching the currently displayed display area to the new display area.8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having storedtherein the information processing program according to claim 5, whereinat least one positioning area in which the object can be positioned isset in each of the plurality of areas, and when the determination of theobject as being the target to be moved is cancelled, the object withrespect to which the determination is cancelled is positioned in apositioning area, in the new display area, associated with a position ofthe object determined as a target to be moved in the new display area.9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having storedtherein the information processing program according to claim 1, whereinthe information processing program further causes the computer toperform: identifying a type of the object, and when the determination ofthe object as being the target to be moved is cancelled, the object withrespect to which the determination is cancelled is positioned at aposition, in the new display area, associated with the type of theobject with respect to which the determination is cancelled.
 10. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereinthe information processing program according to claim 1, wherein theobject is fixed while the object is determined as the target to bemoved, and when the predetermined movement is detected by the movementsensor, switching to the another area different from the currentlydisplayed display area as the new display area, in a state where theobject determined as the target to be moved is fixed.
 11. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereinthe information processing program according to claim 1, wherein theinformation processing apparatus controls the object based on inputsfrom a first input device having the movement sensor and the inputsection.
 12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium havingstored therein the information processing program according to claim 11,wherein the plurality of areas are associated with each other in advancein a predetermined sequence, and when the predetermined movement isdetected by the movement sensor, switching to an area associated withthe currently displayed display area as the new display area anddisplaying the area on the display device together with the objectdetermined as a target to be moved.
 13. The non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium having stored therein the informationprocessing program according to claim 12, wherein when the predeterminedmovement detected by the movement sensor is a movement in a firstdirection, switching to an area, which is associated with a currentlydisplayed display area so as to immediately follow the currentlydisplayed display area, as a new display area and displaying the area onthe display device together with the object determined as a target to bemoved, and when the predetermined movement detected by the movementsensor is a movement in a second direction, switching to an area, whichis associated with the currently displayed display area so as toimmediately precede the currently displayed display area, as a newdisplay area and displaying the area on the display device together withthe object determined as a target to be moved.
 14. The non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium having stored therein the informationprocessing program according to claim 12, wherein the informationprocessing apparatus controls the object displayed on the display devicebased on an input from a second input device having an additionalmovement sensor for detecting a movement, when the predeterminedmovement is detected by the movement sensor, switching to an area whichis associated with a currently displayed display area so as toimmediately follow the currently displayed display area as a new displayarea and displaying the area on the display device together with theobject determined as a target to be moved, and when the predeterminedmovement is detected by the additional movement sensor, switching to anarea which is associated with the currently displayed display area so asto immediately precede the currently displayed display area as a newdisplay area and displaying the area on the display device together withthe object determined as a target to be moved.
 15. The non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium having stored therein the informationprocessing program according to claim 1, wherein the input sectionincludes a pointing device, and based on an input from the pointingdevice, an object included in the display area is determined as a targetto be moved.
 16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumhaving stored therein the information processing program according toclaim 1, wherein the movement sensor detects at least one of anacceleration and an angular velocity, and when an acceleration or anangular velocity which is greater than or equal to a predetermined valueis detected by the movement sensor, switching to the another areadifferent from the currently displayed display area as the display areaand displaying the another area on the display device together with theobject determined as the target to be moved.
 17. An informationprocessing apparatus for controlling an object displayed on a displaydevice based on inputs from a movement sensor for detecting a movementand an input section, comprising: a computer processing system,including at least one computer processor, the computer processingsystem being configured to control the information processing apparatusto perform operations comprising: displaying one of a plurality of areason the display device as a display area; determining an object includedin the display area as a target to be moved based on an input from theinput section; when a predetermined movement is detected by the movementsensor, switching to another area different from the display areacurrently displayed as a new display area and displaying the anotherarea on the display device together with the object determined as thetarget to be moved; based on an input from the input section, cancellinga determination of the object as being a target to be moved; and whenthe determination is cancelled, positioning the object with respect towhich the determination is cancelled in the new display area.
 18. Aninformation processing system for controlling an object displayed on adisplay device based on inputs from a movement sensor for detecting amovement and an input section, comprising: a computer processing system,including at least one computer processor, the computer processingsystem being configured to control the information processing system toperform operations comprising: displaying one of a plurality of areas onthe display device as a display area; determining an object included inthe display area as a target to be moved based on an input from theinput section; when a predetermined movement is detected by the movementsensor, switching to another area different from the display areacurrently displayed as a new display area and displaying the anotherarea on the display device together with the object determined as thetarget to be moved; based on an input from the input section, cancellinga determination of the object as being a target to be moved; and whenthe determination is cancelled, positioning the object with respect towhich the determination is cancelled in the new display area.
 19. Aninformation processing method for controlling an object displayed on adisplay device based on inputs from a movement sensor for detecting amovement and an input section, comprising: displaying one of a pluralityof areas on the display device as a display area; determining an objectincluded in the display area as a target to be moved based on an inputfrom the input section; when a predetermined movement is detected by themovement sensor, switching to another area different from the displayarea currently displayed as a new display area and displaying theanother area on the display device together with the object determinedas the target to be moved; based on an input from the input section,cancelling a determination of the object as being a target to be moved;and when the determination is cancelled, positioning the object withrespect to which the determination is cancelled in the new display area.